We've shared the symptoms, now let's share what helps

[DenbyGirl]

Having read through the thread of symptoms, it seems we all agree that the menopause is crap. But by knowing we aren't alone I think helps.

Just a thought, it might be nice to share little things we have found helpful for different symptoms. Either long term "cures" or just temporary relief from niggles.

So I'll start....

For hair that has gone frizzy (mine used to have a gentle wave, now frizzy curls) unless I use Cantu curl activator creme. It is remarkable. Look at youtube for video evidence!

For painful ankles/heels I was recommended to stop wandering around barefoot and to stop wearing flats (ballet pumps/converse). So now I wear FitFlops around the house and the change is amazing. I can walk properly straight away when I get up instead of hobbling for the first 10 minutes.

Share away

No caffeine
No alcohol
Increasing weight baring exercise
Cutting the amount of food I eat by a 1/3
But the thing that has made the most difference is HRT, the decreasing oestrogen absolutely floored me, I feel better than I did in my 30s, total lifesaver.

No caffeine
No alcohol
No sugar, or at least no sweet foods other than fruit
Exercise
Putting my health at the top of the list
But mostly. HRT. Game changer

Big fat spliff every single night 🤩
Gel pouches in the freezer for hot flushes and itches
Being as selfish and self indulgent as possible

Please give advice for this painful burning mouth😢 the latest symptom.Did HRT work on all your symptoms.?
I've reduce caffeine and a alcohol consumption and walk everywhere anyway.
Treated myself to fruity shampoos and body shop products to reduce hair and body odour as I work in a hot environment .

Cool gel insert for pillowcase so I can move to it when hot flush hits at night. Sage tablets from Victoria health were also good but I can't afford to keep them up.

I've never heard of a painful mouth as a meno symptom perhaps you should get that checked by your gp. HRT got rid of all of my horrible symptoms it's been miraculous.

HRT (oestrogen only) gel
Minoxidil & spironolactone oral combo capsules for female pattern hairloss (thank you Jesus!)

Same as pp:

Massively reducing caffeine (and no coffee at all, including decaf)
No alcohol
Lots of walking and weight-bearing exercise
Food - a lot of veg, good proteins, cut right down on refined carbs, smaller portions
Vitamins - iron, B vits, D3 in winter
Managing stress as best I can and taking care of my boundaries
And.... HRT. Only just started but my god the difference already.

No caffeine and no alcohol? I’m crying here, ladies 😭😭

I feel that my arches have fallen completely and that I have flat feet. I went to yoga yesterday and looked at my feet in the mirror. They are like a stick person’s feet. Will sensible shoes ever get my feet back to normal?

I have the cool gel insert for my pillow, couldn’t sleep without it.
I have cut right back on alcohol but I’m not going teetotal, I think some pleasures in life are necessary. I’ve also cut back on sugary foods but again we all need a treat sometimes.
Walking, Pilates and Yoga all help my physical and mental health.
I can’t take HRT as I had breast cancer.

Changing my bedding to natural materials to help with the flushes - wool duvet, wool pillows, wool mattress topper and pure linen bedding. This ha helped enormously.

Cut out sugar. Made a huge difference.

@Triglesoffy - re caffeine & alcohol.... same! 😆😆😆 Coping mechanisms!!!
Meanwhile, have given up sugar to avoid Bargearse Syndrome.

If somebody has found a way to get their libido back I so much want to know.

Menopace tablets worked overnight to cure my mood swings and snappiness. I think they’re brilliant.

Viviscal and/or Florisene tablets made my hair grow back all lush and shiny.

I’d love tips on what works for anxiety. Mine is horrific now. I’ve started taking St John’s Wort in case that helps.

@Triglesoffy, same problem here with the feet arches.

Getting extra weigh doesn’t help but made to measure insoles are a dream. I found a podiatrist who mainly works with professional footballers (The NHS one was crap, she only kept suggesting things that would help an 80 year old but not someone active who needs to spend a long time on her feet). Anyhow, got the insoles and my life changed completely, I can walk for hours my back is not hurting and I started to loose weight with my new “walking freedom”.

The didn’t come cheap at around £250 including consultation and fitting, but then, as a good friend pointed to me, I pay more than that for my car service.

I lost the weight (eventually) but extreme dieting boring as batshit. Has helped the feet and other autoimmune issues. Has probably dragged other health problems out of the woodwork though....

I’d love tips on what works for anxiety. Mine is horrific now. I’ve started taking St John’s Wort in case that helps.

St John Worth’s made me feel much worse but I have found a huge difference by avoiding sugar in the morning, as long as I stay away from sugar and starchy carbohydrates in the morning, my anxiety at bay for most of the day.

I have cut right back on alcohol but I’m not going teetotal, I think some pleasures in life are necessary.

Had no choice, couldn’t tolerate alcohol at all - it started about three years ago. It took any pleasure out of it completely. Have to say I don’t miss it, though, which is not something I would have ever imagined in my younger days!

I’m doing the 16/8 intermittent fasting thing to shift the middle age spread. It’s not that difficult but I only do it 4 days a week. It’s working slowly but surely.

I had no choice with alcohol either one glass of wine bought on monster hot flushes and a hang over that made me feel like I'd drunk a whole bottle, same with caffeine and I bloody love coffee, so it's one cup of decaf and red bush tea only. I have to say its amazing how quickly you adapt.
Yoga, Pilates and weight training has helped so much with anxiety and palpitations.

I've started taking menopace tablets following the recommendation from the other thread. It might be a coincidence but I do feel a lot better. Particularly re: the horrible spreading hot flushes during the evening and the night sweats.

Other than that definitely no alcohol plus healthy eating, exercise including yoga/Pilates and try to get 8 hrs sleep. God, I'm so boring!!!

I think a healthy lifestyle helps a lot.

I feel i can't really comment too much here because I started HRT at 53 within a few months of my last period. For me, that seems to work fine but I am very careful with my diet, and like others here don't drink (for other reasons- it irritates my bladder), ditto caffeine drinks, and I've pretty much given up sugar and refined carbs. I try to keep my sugar intake to almost zero ( maybe 1 tsp honey a day) and the odd 'treat' like homemade cake or dark choc. I also try to exercise 4-5 x a week and get in some light weights/ squats on a couple of days at home in the lounge.

Yoga, Pilates and weight training has helped so much with anxiety and palpitations.

I’ll try this and the other suggestion about avoiding carbs in the morning. I’d love to get rid of the anxiety. I’ve always been a worrier but it’s awful now. My world has shrunk as I’m too scared to drive my car, I talk myself out of doing anything, I over-think and stress. I had a full-blown panic attack last year and it was terrifying. Plus psychosomatic symptoms like feeling my throat was closing up (it wasn’t, and as soon as I saw my tracheotomy photos all my symptoms vanished).

It’s ruining my life. ☹️

Does anyone else feel slightly off-balance now? Sometimes I walk around and feel like a badly stacked Jenga tower that might collapse any minute.